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Thursday, January 16, 2014

Justice for Max - the fight continues

Meet Max. He was a beloved 15 year old cat that was a truly loved family member of my friend since he had been found as a small stray kitten. On Saturday May 11, 2013 during a family party, Max got out during the evening. He wandered a few doors down to a neighbor who never saw him before (of course, he was never outside) and she called 911 reporting a sick cat. Max was very thin due to a thyroid issue and had been under a vets care for years. He did not have his collar on because it was always coming off due to his weight loss. Max was purring, playing with the neighbors children. The police arrived as did the Animal Control Officer. The neighbor was concerned for his safety and took a picture of him before he left with the ACO in case his owner was looking for him. He was supposed to go to Animal Orphanage, the designated shelter for all impounded animals from Voorhees. He was picked up at 7:11pm. Early Sunday morning, Max couldn't be found in my friends house. They desperately searched the entire house, yard and neighborhood looking for him. They called the police getting Camden County Dispatch and were informed to call Independent Animal Control, the service Voorhees contracts with. My friend called getting voice mail and begged for someone to call her about her sick cat that may have been picked up. They called Animal Orphanage, AWA and even Camden County Animal Shelter, all reporting no cat was brought into their shelters matching him. AO reported no cats at all were brought in on Saturday. They continued to search the house and neighborhood. Another message to Independent Animal Control goes unanswered. Early Monday morning, May 13, my friend calls Voorhees Twp police and makes a report of her missing sick cat. No records indicate her cat was picked up. Again she calls Independent at 9am as the message on the companies voice mail says they are only available 9a-5p. She speaks with the owner, Rob Chabot who told her he was not sure if her cat was picked up. He was not on duty over the weekend and the officer that was takes two weeks to turn in reports. She begged him to call his employee because Max needed his medication and he refused, stating the employee was off until Thursday and unavailable. No amount of pleading changed his mind. My friend and family visited all three shelters that day searching for Max. Tuesday, May 13 my friend called Independent Animal Control and left a message begging for information, her call went unanswered. Again they visit the shelters. Wednesday, May 14 my friend calls Voorhees police telling them Chabot was not giving her any information. They advised her to continue calling him. Thursday, May 15, Chabot's employee finally calls my friend at noon. ACO stated that her cat was picked up on Saturday evening and since he looked sick, Max was taken to a friends home who fosters cats. My friend begged her for this persons name and phone number so she could get Max back. She was told her name was Ashley but the officer would not give her a phone number, stating they would contact her and call her back. My friend anxiously waited and by 5pm did not receive a call so she called the officer back. The officer told my friend "Ashley said he wasn't eating so she took him to Sterling Vet where she works on Monday, May 13. The vet euthanized him because he was too sick". My friend was devastated. Six long days searching for her cat, doing everything right to reclaim him, begging for information and he was dead on day 2. Her entire family was heartbroken. A few days later, a neighbor informed her she did call 911 that day because she didn't know who he belonged to and even sent my friend the picture of Max sitting in the cage before the ACO took him. My friend reached out to me on May 24 still heartbroken about Max and blaming herself. I told her that Max, by law, was supposed to be taken to AO and then if foster was available, he could go there only after all the paper work was done at the shelter. This assures owners the opportunity to reclaim their animals during the mandatory 7 day hold that all shelters and rescues must abide by. On May 28th, I contacted Sterling Vet to see what happened to Max and there was no cat brought in and euthanized that day. AND there was no one employed by them named Ashley. I contacted my friend and she immediately called Chabot, demanding to know where he can was. He said if the cat was put in foster care, there are no report and no paper trail. My friend begged for her cat and he had the officer call her. Now the officer states Max died on the way to the vet. My friend demanded to know where his remains were and the officer said he was cremated and would drop off the paper to her proving it.(never received it) Of course the officer was sorry but that didn't help my friend and her cat. Chabot was recalled and told of this new "story" and he said he was going to review their foster care procedure. The Twp of Voorhees was notified and demanded a full detailed report from Chabot regarding Max and as of today, has not received it. He did send a vague report that he was picked up and case closed five days later. This was not detailed. All the records from various agencies were obtained thru OPRA and the evidence is clear that this was mishandled.
Friends...this behavior of the officer on duty and of Independent Animal Control is illegal. N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16 The lack of concern for Max and his family was atrocious. My friend still does not know what really happened to Max. There are laws in place to protect our animals. And when a public servant acts in bad faith and it causes the death or disappearance of an animal, it needs to be made public. Most people believe that everyone that works in the animal service field does it because they love animals. Well that is not true. If an animal is picked up by animal control and appears sick, it must be taken to a vet immediately. If that vet deems it sick, they have the right to euthanize. Records must be made of the animal at the designated shelter and the remains of that animal must be held by that shelter until the 7 day hold is up. There are too many unanswered questions in this situation. Where is Max? Who is Ashley? Why did the officer lie? What is the officer trying to cover up by changing the story several times? Why doesn't Chabot maintain records? Why can they place animals directly in foster care? Why didn't anyone want to help my friend get her cat back? Why did Chabot refuse to help? The officer claimed if he was taken to the shelter he would have been euthanized because he was sick...my question is by who at 7:11pm on a Saturday night? There are no vets at the shelters at that time or vet techs. How many more animals have suffered this fate?
My friend did everything right to get her cat back and the system failed her and failed Max. He was never outside and the one time he gets out, he is picked up by an officer that doesn't follow the law. How fair is that? He lives for 15 years with a loving family only to be disposed of by someone who broke the law. It is a very sad situation. And this officer will have to explain it to the courts. We have been to court five times and will continue to fight for justice. Private citizens need to know they have a right to file charges against public servants that act in bad faith. In the end, the animals will only suffer if we don't step up and be their voices. Joyce Moyer

7 comments:

I am so glad that they continue to fight this in court. Making it public, making it known that this sort of thing will NOT BE TOLERATED is the only way to make things change.

Keep fighting. Because it isn't about "just a cat", it's about family. And Animal Control is as much Family Services as anyone and it's high time they start to realize that. What they do *affects* people. And this kind of behavior needs to STOP.

I'm so sorry about Max. The not knowing is so awful. Unfortunately people don't care and nothing regarding animal welfare is funded well enough to end this craziness. They probably thought they had a sick stray cat on their hands and nobody would come looking. My condolences to the family.

I am so very sorry for the loss of your sweet, sweet Max. Has anyone considered informing the local news stations, newspapers, radio stations ... any form of media that could get the word out? Letters to the editor of the newspaper or the Ombudsman. The irresponsible, uncaring, cruel participants in this tragedy need to be pushed into the spot light of shame. I send you love and prayers in your pursuit of justice for Max.

Hi, We did go to a few news stations, only one was interested but dropped it because they didn't think it was news worthy. I couldn't believe it. We will continue to fight for Max and any others that may be in danger from this ACO. We are also having a workshop for the public at the end of March to educate the public about the laws that protect our animals. Thank you for your kind words. We will not stop until justice for Max is served. Joyce